THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE
rhythm to their
walk.
In the center of
the bustling plaza
towered the flv
ing pole, almost
seventy feet high
and as straight as
a mast-a mag
nificent tree, re
lated to the pine.
On some moun
tain slope it had
grown, waiting to
give up its life for
an age-old tradi
tion. More than a
hundred Indians
had dragged it
from its birth
place over the
narrow path.
How they had
managed to get it
around the sharp
curves and across
L.
the ravines re
mains a mystery.
It must have
been an arduous
task to raise it on
the small plaza.
With levers and
ropes the heavy
trunk had littleby
little been lifted
from the ground
Photograph by Rodney Gallop
and slid into a
'HUMAN BIRDS" START UP THE POLE
deep, narrow hole
in which the In
Scarlet bandannas tied across their backs are supposed to be wings, for in olden
dians had placed
times the dancers were dressed as birds. Originally there were only four perform
ers, believed to represent the sacred birds which guarded the cardinal points of their offerings.
the compass. But now in Pahuatln "six flyers are more elegant than four,"
A live turkey,
Indians told the author.
candles, choco
1 at e, cigarettes,
shoulder capes embroidered in cross-stitch
and other things-varying in different parts
patterns varying in design and color. Al-
of the Sierra-are put into the hole before
most every village had its distinctive dress. hand to nourish the pole and make it strong
By far the most numerous were Otomi
enough to hold the flyers.
women from a village high in the mountains
north of Pahuatlan. Their capes were of
LOFTY DANCE FLOOR TWO FEET IN
wool embroidered in striking patterns of
DIAMETER
black, red, and yellow. Their long hair was
Three Indians were climbing to the top,
braided with cords of wool ending in bright carrying six long ropes and a short section
tassels of beads. The skirt, of wool or cot- of another tree hollowed out and smeared
ton, was drawn tightly around the hips, with with pink soap. A thick vine had been
the fullness gathered into deep pleats in twisted around the pole to afford a foothold.
front which gave a singularly graceful
With difficulty the hollowed section was
390